Chapter 5 Knox
KNOX
The fucking orange jumpsuit they had me in was bullshit.
It looked like shit, smelled like shit, and made me look like a dumbass.
Whatever the hell kind of angle Diesel was working, I wanted to let him know it had landed me here.
There was no fucking reason for me to be in any jail cell, much less in some maximum security state-run bullshit place like the one I was in.
I didn’t kill that asshole, and I’d go to my fucking grave with that truth.
I didn’t kill Blaze.
I hadn’t talked with Diesel since I was in the damn holding cell, so I had to make sure I could be protected.
They’d put those Black Saddle asshats in the same damn jail as me, and I knew why.
They were hoping shit would work itself out.
I’d either kill them or they’d kill me, then they could keep the offending party in jail for the rest of their lives.
That was how shit worked in Redding. The guards were laughing at us in corners while we tried to fend for our lives.
But they had no idea what they were in for.
I knew Diesel would get me out of this somehow.
But until I fucking heard from someone, I had to work on my own protection. As long as I was outnumbered by Black Saddles, I wouldn't be safe. So, I was in the yard trying to scope out who the hell I could trust.
There were segmented groups all over the damn place, but most of them I recognized.
The white supremacist shitheads with swastikas tattooed all over their bodies were in the corner in the shade.
Probably plotting how to kill everyone in here who didn’t look like them.
Then there were the street gangs. A gathering of the 409’s, a few Tango Blasts, and a couple of assholes that I knew worked for the mafia.
Then, there were the others. People in for petty theft, setting too much shit on fire, and other bullshit things that didn’t matter in the long run.
They all stuck to the front doors, trying to avoid all the hardened criminals that had cut deals to run in a place like this in exchange for testimony or information.
I was surrounded by fucking rats.
But there was one person that caught my eye. Particularly, the group of people that did. They were sitting on some benches at the far end of the yard by the wall. Around Redding, they were known as the Latin Cobras.
But it was the head of their crew I was gunning for.
I remembered when Jesús had been arrested.
Him and a bunch of his guys went down for shit they proclaimed for years they didn’t fucking do.
His testimony and his pleas were all over the damn news when it happened.
His great-grandfather was the one who started the Latin Cobras, and his fall from grace had tainted the group and put it in the hands of some asshole I knew he probably didn’t like.
Rumor had it that the guy currently in charge of them was the one that betrayed Jesús.
The one that ratted him out.
I made my way over to them as people watched me walk. I could tell by the way they were looking at me that no one approached Jesús with permission. But I was about to break that trend. I was looking for protection and I was sure there was something I could offer in return.
Especially once I got out of this fucking hellhole.
“The hell you want?”
I watched one of his goonies jump off a bench and hold his hand out to my chest.
“Might not wanna touch me,” I said. “I’ve been known to kill men for less.”
“That what you in here for?”
My eyes whipped over to Jesús as he motioned for his man to stand down.
“Supposedly, yes,” I said.
“So, what? You didn’t kill no man?”
“Nope. Being set up.”
“So, you like everyone else in here, huh?”
“No,” I said. “Everyone in here’s probably guilty. Except you.”
I watched him cock his head as he sucked some air through his teeth.
“What makes you think that?” Jesús asked.
“Besides you screaming it all over the news? The man who now heads your gang looks like a fucking rat,” I said.
“He’s a dirty piece of shit, that one. So, what? You come over here wanting something from us?”
“Protection,” I said. “I’m in here with a couple of guys from the gang accusing me of killing one of their own.”
“So you wanna… line up with someone so you got numbers on ‘em,” Jesús said.
“That’s the theory, yep.”
“What makes you think I’d help someone like you?” he asked.
I grinned and shook my head as Jesús let out a raucous laughter.
“I’m just shitting with ya, Knox. Get the hell over here.”
Jesús stood up from the bench and clapped my hand before he pulled me into a hug.
“How the fuck you been?” Jesús asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen ya since high school.”
“Bullshit. We briefly crossed paths ‘bout four years ago. Remember that coffee shop shootout?”
“Fuck me, that was you guys?” he asked.
“Some punk ass gang trying to ride up on our turf. I don’t know why they think they can kill us off.”
“Even I know that shit. The Dead Souls ain’t nothin’ to mess around with.”
“You know this guy?”
I looked over at another one of Jesús’ goonies, confusion crumpling up their faces.
“Yes, I do. Him and I ran the same high school halls together. Show some fucking respect, ‘ey?” Jesús asked.
“I don’t know what I can give ya in return, but I didn’t kill that guy. I’ll be outta here in a few days, so if ya want something done on the outside, you can consider it done in exchange for protection,” I said.
“I like that offer. I don’t know if I can get all the Cobras behind you for protection, but I’ll do my best. You know, gang lines and all. Family’s family, and everyone else is an outsider.”
“I get it more than most,” I said. “I’m just trying to not die before Diesel gets me the fuck outta here.”
“He still runnin’ the streets?”
“He’ll die in the streets for all we know,” I said with a grin.
“I’ll have to get a call out to Diego,” Jesús said. “He’ll be the one to make the official call. He’s our O.G. on the outside.”
“When I get my damn call today, I’ll tell Diesel what’s going on. Maybe the two of them can meet up and… discuss terms,” I said.
“You do that. You do a favor for me, Diesel does a favor for him, we make sure you’re safe. It all works out,” he said.
“Consider it done,” I said as we clapped hands again.
I looked over at The Black Saddles who were eyeing me with grins on their faces.
I didn’t like the way they were looking at me, but yard time was almost over.
The guards were already hustling us back inside to get us into our rooms and whatnot.
But one of the guards grabbed me by the arm a little too tight for my liking.
“What?” I asked.
“You got a visitor,” the guard said.
“The hell is it? I didn’t ask for a visitor,” I said.
But all he did was lug me down the damn hallway before tossing me into a room.
I slammed my fist against the door in anger before I heard a throat clear behind me. It was a delicate sound, but one that expected attention. I turned around and took in the sight of the woman in front of me, her briefcase clutched in the palms of her hands.
“Hello, Mr. Knox. My name’s Monroe Williams. I’m your lawyer for your case.”
I grinned as I raked my eyes up and down her form.
This was a joke, right? This bitch wasn’t Lowen, though she was very hot.
Her gray heels matched her pencil skirt and the suit jacket she had buttoned around her waist. The blouse underneath it was black, which made her strawberry blonde hair and green eyes pop.
I felt my cock lurch to life as I took her in, the length of her legs calling to my hands.
They really expected me to pay attention with that beautiful piece of decadence sitting across from me?
“Take a seat, please,” Monroe said.
“With all due respect, you aren’t my lawyer,” I said.
“I work with Lowen and Scott, and I’ve been briefed on your case,” she said.
“Don’t mean you’re my lawyer.”
“Mr. Knox, I’m here to help you. You can accept my help or deny it, but if you deny it you will most certainly end up in jail for the murder of that man.”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” I said.
“Then sit down and tell me about it.”
I enjoyed a woman who knew how to take control.
It meant she would taste even sweeter when she finally yielded to me.
I looked behind me and found a guard staring in, waiting for this beautiful woman to give him the command that she wanted out.
I watched her pull out a chair and sit down, popping open her briefcase and pulling out file after file with my name on it.
Then, she pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to me.
“Mrs. Lowen figured you might be hesitant to sit down with me, so this is from her. Signed and notarized,” Monroe said.
It was an official letter stating that this tantalizing piece of woman was going to be helping with my case. I recognized Rose’s handwriting and Bradley had even signed it at the bottom as well. Dated from today and the notarization was still a bit warm.
“Seems recent,” I said.
“An hour ago, actually. Now, will you sit? Or do you want to go this alone?” Monroe asked.
I looked up from the sheet of paper and grinned at her as I made my way to my seat.
“Yes ma’am,” I said with a grin. “Anything else you need?”